Drying apparatus



Aug. 21, 1928. 1,681,690

.1.Y B. VERNAY DRYING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 51, 1927 2 Sheets-'Sheet 2 a l 1 5 i lfd L la, o O o G um. `n 30 2g L I# n o o o o o o 5 A8 o 6 k6' Zu/enfer l 4alumna! Aug. 211928..

JEAN mrIs'rE VEBNAY,

or vmLEUEnaNNE, Emmen'.

DRYING APPARATUS.

Application led October 31, 1927, Serial No. 230,096, and France December 18,1923.

This invention refers to a drying apparatus capablev of working under vacuum, o the kind described in my prior U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,628,481, and it has for 1pts object improved means for yintroducing the paste to be dried into the, apparatus, forheating this paste, for crushing it when it agglomerates into lumps during the drying operation and for automatically operatlng the apparatus.

In the annexed drawings: Fig. 1 is a front view'of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a section on line A A (Fig. 1). Fig. 3 is a view of an end plate support- .ing the cylinders. l

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic section on hne -B B (Fig. 2).

Fig. 5 schematically shows thel drive of. a cock.

.y right-hand end plate, which is similarV in construction, comprises only three 5b and 5 and a central hub 7.

The innermost cylinder 8 is not rotatable and is supported at oneendl by .means of stays 9 which are fixed tothe -rear cover 3 of the casing.4 The other cylinders 1 0, 11, 12 and 13 are xed at both ends` to the successive rings of the two end plates.

The. frontcover 2 is provided wlth two internal circular ribs 2a and 2b. Rib 2L projects between the rings 4a 4b of the front end-plate, the radial arms connecting rings 4a and 4b being of course conveniently curved.v VRib 2b projects also between Vrings 4c 'and 4d. Rings 4a and 4c `are provided with teeth (Fias. 2 and 3) and ribs 2 and 2b are toothed Figs. 2 and 3).

The hub 6 of the front end plate rotates on a hollow trunnion 14which is integral with the front cover 2.

The 'rear cover 3 is provided with a c1rc lar rib 3a which projects between rings 5a and 5*. Ring 5 and rib 3*l are provided with teeth. l

The vapparatus comprises a tight casing rings 5,

ions 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 and 37 as shown,

The hub 7 of the rear end plate rotates on rollers-15 supported by hollow shafts 16. The innermost cylinder 8, as shown in Fig. 2, is provided with a double-wall and the annular space thus created is used for steam-heating, the inlet and outlet pi es 17 and 18 being connected with two hollldw shafts 16.

The cylinders 13, 12, 11 and 10 are proi' vided with helical guides 19 fixed totheir inner faces. Cylinder Scontains an internal rotatable helical guide 20 supported by a shaft 21, one end of. which is xed to a conical -member or boss 22. This boss is fixed to the hub 6 of the front cover plate 2 byv means of radial arms 23. The other end of shaft 21 is fixed to a boss 24 which rotates in the rear cover plate 3 of the casing. l The material to be dried is introduced through the axial bore of trunnion 14 and falls into the innermost cylinder 8. It is directed towards the rear end-of cylinder 8 by the rotation of the helical guide 20 and :falls onto the inner surface of cylinder 10. It is then directed Ytowards the front-end of cylinder 10 by the helical guide 19 and falls in front of ring 4a onto the rib 2 of the front coverv plate 2. This rib directs the material onto ring 4" and cylinder 11.

-The lumps of material are crushed by the v inter-action ,of the teeth of ring 4a and of rib 2a as shown in Fig. 4. The 'material is then directed towards the rear end of cylin- -der 11, is againcrushed between ring 5a and travels into cylinder 12, is crushed rib 3, between ring 4c and rib 2, travels into cylinder 13 and then falls over ring 5-into a spout or hopper 25.

The rotary unit or `rotor is driven b a toothedpinion 26 keyed on a shaft 27 ig. 1) and which meshes with the toothed periphery of ring 41.-

The apparatus. is heated by steam pipes 28 and by the double walls of the innermost cylinder 8, and vacuumois created in it bymeans of a. pipel 29.

The material to be introduced into the apparatus is placed in a funnel-shaped hopper' 30 and a piston 31 forces it into the` axial bore of `trunnion 14, The materialtends to stick on the walls of hopper 30 and, for avoiding this, an endless chain 31fl is provided. This chain is supported by fwith studs 58 fixed on the -to and actuates piston 31.

The spout or hopper 25 is closed by means of a valve 45.- A second hopper 46 is provided beneath valve 45, this hopper 46 being closed by a Valve 47'. The valves 45 and 47 being closed, a vacuum is created inthe hopper 46 (by pipe 48) and valve 45 is opened. The material from hopper 25falls into hopper 46. Valve is then closed, vacuum is suppressed in hopper 46 and valve 47 is opened. The materialthen allsfreely into any appropriate receptacle.

` regulating witha compressed air line 59.

Y 56 is rotatedand, by means a rbeing vacuum pipe cylinders.

- ation of valves 'toa Valves 45 and 47 are operated yby the istons 49 and 50 of compressed-air cylinders 51 and 52.

' The operations of valves 45 and 47 and of piston 31, and the control of the pressure in opper .46 are entirely automatic. Cylinders 42, 51 and 52 are each provided with two pipes 42, b; 51 51"; 52, 522. These cylinders areI controlled by three-way cocks 53, 54 and 55 located, as shown, circumferentially around a disk 56 which is driven from shaft 27 by `a chain-62. Each cock is provided with a four-toothed head 57 (Fig. 5) which arranged to cooperate periphery of disk 56. Cock 53 controls cylinder 42; cock 54 controls cy der 51 and cock p inder 52. As shown, Fig. 1, cocks 54 and 55 aredriven by the is driven by other studs 58'; this permitsoi the operatin of pendently of the operation of and 52. Cocks 53,54 and55 are connected A fourth cock 60 is' driven by studs 58. 'b'.lhis' cock controls thi8 h th connecting pi 'eit er wi myosphere (by nileans of a suitablehole) or with a pipe 61 which leads tothe main' N Shaft 27 is driven 62', 'through a pair of 64 and awormv gear l which drives a wheel 65 yed on shaft 27. Vdriving shaft 62 rotates, the

lfrom driving shaft bevel gears 63, a shaft trolling-cocks, actuates the compressed-air The material is forced into the a paratus by the strokes of piston 31 and, aus b h a ve exp t e o r- 45 and47. I t be nged that the material in hopper 30 fills the same point above the inlettrunnion 14' and, because of its xasty together and us form a' tight seal of the a aratus. A

Pheteeth ofVV rings 4%49 5 and of evacuated, as

covers supporting the material, which 55 controls cylsaine studs 58, but cock53 cylinder 42 indecylinders v51 i `on that one of said rings v diameter than said rib,

pressure in hopper 46 j e at- `of` material which not represented) of the conut 25 and is comprising Bf character, tends to stick I ribs'2, 2 and 3* are preferably so .dimensioiied that the first crushing set (ring 4 and rib 2*.) breaks only the biggest lumps of paste, the second set breakin the lumps of average size andthe last se the smallest 7o va vzig-zag path for the material to be dried;

and end plates for supporting said cylinders,- said -end platesl being formed of concentric rings connected together by means oi' radial ar 85,. 2. AA drying apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tight casing comp-rises a substantially cylindrical body and two end 'the end plates, said end/ covers being provided with circular ribs projecting between two consecutive rings of said end 'plates for the purpose of'directing falls trom a cylinder, onto the next lone vof larger diameter..

3. A' drying apparatus comprising a tight 95 casing formed of a substantially cylindrical body and of two-end covers; rotatable coaxial cylinders inside said casing; end plates supporting 'said cylinders, said end plates being formed of con' ntric 'rings connected. together by means o .l radial arms; circular ribs on said end covers; said circular ribs projecting betweentwo successive rings of said end plates; and having teeth on* at least the lower portions thereof; and teeth los whichl is of smaller the teeth on said ring being adaptedfor cooperation with the teeth on said rib, in order to crush the pieces.

tend to pass between said 11'0 rib and ring. 4. A drying apparatus as claimed claim' l 3, comprising several grinding sets disposed comprising a toothed fixed rib and a toothedl 115 rotatable ring, said sets beinV arranged to crush the .material more an more finely as it approaches the outlet of the apfparatus.

5. A drying appa tus formed o severa co-axial cylinders .providin a zig-zag path 121 for the material tov be drie saidl apparatus an innermost fixed cylin er into vwhich the material is introduced, means forY -driving the material along said innermost cylinder from end to end, and outer rotat- 121 lecl-inders.`v 6. drying apparatus, as claimed in claim 5, comprising heating means forithe inner-' -most cylinder.

7. A drying apparatus; as t 5, wherein the innermost cylinder is provided with double'walls, the annular space between said double-walls being used ior` steam-heating.

8. .A drying apparatus comprising a tight casing formed of a substantially cylindrical body and of two end covers; coaxial cylinders therein, the innermost being fixed and the outerA ones being rotatable; end plates sup-porting said outer cylinders; a hollow trunnion in one of said end covers for the material to be introduced therethrough rollers supported by sh fts on the other en f cover; said hollowtrunnion being arranged for rotatably supporting one of said 'end plates and said rollers being arranged for rotatably -supporting the other one' and stays for connecting said innermost cylinder with said rollers-provided end cover.

9. A drying apparatus comprising in combination a tight casing; co-axial cylinders therein, said cylinders being arranged to provide a zig-zag path `for Vthe material to.

be dried; a bore in said casing for the material to be introduced therethrough; a hop per in front of said bore; means for forcing material from said hopper into said casing through said bore; and an endless chain traveling along the inclined `Walls'of said hopper for preventing tlie materiallfrom sticking thereto.

10. A di--yingl apparatus comprising a tight casing; oo-axiai: cylinders therein, said cylinders being arranged to provide a zigzag path. for the material to be dried from the innermost cylinder to the outermost.;

-, means for introducing the material into said innermost cylinder; a hopper adapted to receive dried material from said outermost cylinder.; "a valvel -closing said hopper; a second hopper adapted to receive material from. said irst. hopper when said valve is open; a second valve .for closing said second hopper; and automatic means for alternately' opening said valves in order to contlnuously discharge dried material from insidev said casin 11.A apparatus as claimed in claimlO, in which means are provided for connectingethe second ho -`with v'a vac'- uum line'when the first va vldeils to'v belopened and with the atmosphere .when thesecond valve istobe opened.

* tight casing; rota 12. Av drying vapparatus comprising in 'I cylinder; a valve closin said hopper; a second receiving hopper a apted to receive materlal from the first ho per when the lirst valve 1s open; a secon" valve closing the second hopper; pneumatic means for loperating said valves; controlling cocks for said pneumatic piston and valve operating means; a pipe connected with said second hopper; a controlling cock for connecting saidn pipe either with a vacuum line, or with thel atmosphere; and mechanical means for operating said controlling cocks in approprlate succession.

A drying apparatus, as claimed in claim 12,

wherein the mechanical means for operating the controlling cocks comprise a continuously rotated disk; toothed heads on said controlling cocks' and actuating studs on said disk, said stu s bein arranged for cooperation with said toothed heads. Y f

14. A drying apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein t e mechanical means for operating the controlling cocks comprise a- .continuousl rotated disk; toothed heads on` -said contro 1mg cocks; and two sets of actuating studs'on said heads, one yof said sets of studs being arranged for cooperation with the cock controlling the pneumatic actuating means for the piston which introduces the material into the apparatus, and

the other set being with the other cocks.

15. A drying a aratus comprising' a e cylinders therein; rotatable-end plates for supporting said cylinders; gear teeth on the periphery of one. of said end plates; and a driving pinion meshing with said'teeth.

In testimony whereof I aix arranged for cooperation 

